Candle accessory



sept-.7,1931 D, PMUE 2,092,471

CANDLE ACCESSORY Filed Aug. 14, 1936 Patented Sept. 7, 1937 UNITED fsTATEs PATENT OFFICE CANDLE ACCESSORY Henry D. Pomije, Olivia, Minn.

Application August 14, 1936, Serial No. 95,987

4 Claims.

lVIy invention relates to candle accessories and particularly to accessories for the purpose of increasing the hours of service obtainable from a candle.

In churches and other places where candles are used extensively the cost of supplying the candles is considerable and hence means for effecting the utmost efficiency inl use of candles is highly desirable.

An object of my invention is to provide means for reducing the size of the flame of a candle and hence decreasing the rate of consumption of the candle.

A more `specific object is to provide a device limiting the rate of melting of the candle wax to a rate capable of feeding only a relatively small llame.

A further object is to provide such a device capable of so regulating the supply of air to a candle flame that elhcient combustion will be effected and flickering and formation of black smoke will be eliminated.

These and other objects and advantages will be more fully disclosed in the following descriptio-n made in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the various views, and in which:-

Fig. 1 is a side view of an kembodmentof my invention disposed on the vupper portion of a candle in operative relation thereto; Y

Fig, 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 2--2 of Fig. l as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 3 is atop view shown at enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is a top view of a second form shown at enlarged scale;

Fig. 5 is a side view of a third form.

Fig. 6 is a top view of the form of Fig. 5 shown at enlarged scale, and y Fig. 'l is aside view of a fourth form.

Every embodiment of my invention consists primarily ci a baille element adapted to be placed above the top of the Wax stick of a candle in somewhat spaced relation thereto and having a somewhat restricted opening therethrough through and beyond which the wick of the candle projects. Such an element, by limiting the space about the medial portion of the exposed part of a candle wick, normally confines flame emission to the portion of the wick above such element with the result that less heat from the flame reaches the top of the candle and accordingly that the rate of melting of wax is reduced to a rate which will support only a small flame.

Referring to Fig. 1 one embodiment of my invention is shown operatively associated with a candle C having a wick W. A baille element 8 is provided adapted to be disposed horizontally a short distance above the wax stick of the candle C. Preferably the element 8 consists of a plate which may be circular in shape and have a diameter approximating the diameter of the candle C as shown. An opening is provided in the central portion of the plate il through which the wick W of the candle C projects. While a central opening may be formed in the plate 3 in various manners, I prefer to form the opening by making slits in the central portion of the plate 8 intersecting substantially at the center of the plate 8, and bending the general-ly triangular ears 8a de fined by the slits slightly upwardly as shown.

Means is provided for supporting the plate 8 above the candle C as previously described, support preferably being obtained from the candle C and the supporting means preferably being arranged to automatically progress downwardly as the wax of the candle C is consumed and thus maintain the plate 8 at substantially a xed height above the upper end of the wax stick of the candle C. An internally tapered collar 9 is provided having an inwardly projecting annular ange 9a, in its upper end adapted to rest upon the marginal portion of the upper end of the Wax stick of the candle C as shown. The lower side of the ilange 9a is beveled to form an annular downwardly and outwardly sloping surface. The upper end of the collar 9 is provided with a pair of integral diametrically oppositely located upwardly projecting lugs HJ and il. The lug Ill is bifurcated and apertured to receive a hinge pin l2 upon which an ear 8b formed on the plate 8 and rolled to encircle the pin l2 is swingably mounted. Obviously the plate B is upwardlyand outwardly swingable relative to the collar 9 and the upper end of the candle C so as to provide convenient access to the wick W. An` ear or linger piece 8c is formed on the edge of the plate 8 diametrically opposite the rolled hinge ear 8b and normally rests upon the lug Il so as to l maintain the plate 8 in a horizontal position spaced above the upper end of the wax stick of ther candle C. The outer end of the nger piece 8c is bent slightly downwardly.

In use of a candle with the above described device operatively associated therewith, the llame r of the candle is raised to such a position that almost the entire ame is disposed above the plate 8 and emanates from the upper part of the exposed portion of the wick. The flame is smaller than when the candle is used without my device and is farther away from the upper end of the wax stick of the candle C and hence delivers less heat to the wax for melting the same. Also, the plate 8 acts to partially shield the wax from the flame. The result is that the wax is melted less rapidly and at a rate only suilicient to feed a relatively small flame. The ilame draws air which follows a path radially inwardly between the plate 8 and the collar 9 and then upwardly through the wick accommodating opening in the plate 8. The effect of this air current is to improve the combustion efficiency of the candle, reduce ilickering and eliminate the formation of black smoke.

The above described device has been built, put in practical use and subjected to tests to accurately determine its effectiveness. Tests have shown that a inch by 13 inch candle, which will burn for l5 hours without my device, will burn for 40 hours with my device in use therewith.

When a candle is burning with my device thereon the pool of melted wax at the top of the wax stick of the candle is conned by the upper portion of the collar 9 and hence substantially none of the melted wax will run down the side of the candle.

As the wax is consumed the collar 9, the flange 9a of which rests on the top of the wax stick of the candle C, progresses downwardly so that the plate 8 is maintained at a substantially fixed distance above the top of the wax stick. This downward movement is aided by heat communicated to the collar 9 from the pool of melted wax and from the flame through the plate 8 and the lugs I and II.

The form of my device partially illustrated in Fig. 4 is similar to the form of Figs. 1, 2, and 3 except that a baille plate I3 with a different type of openings therein is substituted for the plate 3 of Figs. 1, 2, and 3. The openings in the plate I3 consist of a centrally located, substantially circular wick accommodating opening I3a, an arcuate opening I3b and an arcuate series of relatively small, preferably circular spaced openings I3c, the acruate and small circular openings I3b and I3c being radially spaced from the central opening I3a as shown in Fig. 4.

Another embodiment of my invention, shown in Figs. 5 and 6, includes a collar I4 similar to the collar 9 of Figs. 1 and 2 except that the upstanding lugs I and II are omitted. A baille plate I 5 is provided which may be formed by cutting a generally rectangular piece from a circular plate so as to leave a U-shaped plate as shcwn in Fig. 6. A mounting ear I6 is formed on the plate I5 at the side opposite the cut away side thereof, said ear I6 being so bent as to have an outer portion I @a extending downwardly. The portion Ilia of the ear I9 is secured to the side of the collar M' by suitable means such as welding or the like so that the plate I5 is supported above the top of the collar I4 in somewhat spaced relation thereto. A strip of flat material is bent into a U-shaped element II and an ear Ila thereon is joined integrally to the plate l5 at the center of the crotch of the U-shape thereof to support the U-shaped element immediately above and parallel to the U-shape of the plate I5. The flat sides of the U-shape element I'I are vertically disposed as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and so disposed as to partially encircle the region through which the wick of a candle upon which the collar I4 is placed will project upwardly.

A fourth embodiment of my invention illustrated in Fig. l consists of a generally hour-glass shaped structure I3 formed of a wire helically wound. The upper portion ISa of the structure I8 is formed of closely spaced turns of progressively diminishing diameter so as to form a shallow conical baille element having a wick-accommodating opening at its center and corresponding in purpose to the plates of Figs. 3 and 4. The lower portion |80 is similar to the upper portion I8a except that it is inverted relative thereto and comprises a base for supporting the baille element I8a. The middle portion I8 consists of a partial turn of long pitch and serves only. asa. means of supporting the baille elementl I8a above the base ic in spaced relation thereto. The base I8c may be placed upon the top of the wax stick of a candle so that the wick of the candle will project upwardly through the respective central openings of the base I 8c and the baille element I 8a.

The forms of my candle economizing device shown in Figs. 4 to '7 operate in the manner previously described in connection with the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3.

When the upper end of the wick of a candle equipped` with my device is first lighted the flame will be quite small and will follow the wick down through the wick-accommodating opening in the baille element to a point but slightly above the upper end of the wax stick of the candle. This small initial llame, being close to the wax, will, for the moment, melt the wax rapidly and the available quantity of melted wax will be suillcient to enlarge the flame somewhat. As the llame grows in size it will rise through the opening in the baille until nearly the entire llame is above the baille and the lowermost portion of the llame is a substantial distance above the wax. The resultant ilame is relatively small as was previously explained.

It is apparent that I have invented a novel, simple, inexpensive, rugged and effective candle accessory capable of greatly decreasing the rate at which a candle is consumed.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, proportions and arrangement of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention, which, generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth and in the novel parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:-

1. A candle saver comprising a plate and means for supporting said plate from a candle in horizontal position somewhat spaced above the upper end of said candle, said plate being slit in its central portion along lines intersecting at the center of said plate to form generally triangular ears, said ears being bent upwardly sufciently to provide therebetween an opening through which the wick of a candle on which said candle saver is mounted will project.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 and said supporting means being constructed to obtain its own support from a portion thereof resting on the upper end of said candle whereby said supporting means will move downwardly relative to said candle as said candle is consumed so as to maintain a substantially fixed spacing between said plate and the upper end of said candle.

3. A candle saver comprising an internally tapered tubular element adapted to be telescopically wedged upon the upper end portion of a candle and a horizontally disposed plate supported from and in upwardly spaced relation to the upper end of said element, said plate being slit in its central portion along lines intersecting at the center of said plate to form generally triangular ears, said ears being bent upwardly suiciently to provide therebetween an opening through which the wick of a candle on which said candle saver is mounted will project.

4. A candle ame reducing device comprising, an internally tapered tubular element adapted to be wedged upon the upper portion of a candle to derive support therefrom, posts projecting upwardly from diametrically opposite portions of the upper end of said tubular element, and a plate adapted to be normally supported by said posts in a horizontal position, said plate, in one portion thereof, being connected to the upper portion of one of said posts for upward swinging movement relative thereto and, in another portion, resting upon the upper end of the remaining post whereby said plate is spaced above the upper ends of said tubular element and said candle, said plate having a relatively restricted aperture therein through which the Wick of said candle may project upwardly when said plate is disposed in normal position.

HENRY D. POMIJE. 

